Man Injured in Industrial Accident

A 45-year-old man was seriously injured Monday in an accident at Georgia Torrefaction Technology LLC on Hwy. 83 south in Jasper County. The man was at work when he approached an auger at the facility. Somehow, he got caught up in the auger, which wrapped around his leg. He was in four-to-five feet of sawdust, explained EMS/Fire Chief Chris Finch.

The plant, based in Evans, Ga., makes wood pellets. It took rescue personnel nearly three hours to get him out of the facility and in an ambulance to go to Navicent in Macon. The patient and part of the auger were transported. A flight crew from Airlife 1 helped, as well as personnel from Butts County who responded to the request for additional personnel.

OSHA was called in, but had not responded to a request from The News as of Wednesday at press time. Local persons who responded included Medic 1 with Lynn Brown and Amber Banks and Medic 3 with Shawn Holmes and John Smith. Also, assistant chief James Ray, Chief Finch, and volunteers Steve and Crystal Milligan and Steve Wilson.

Also three deputies spent much of the afternoon there, as did several Butts County officials.